Firebird Data Integration and Synchronization

Firebird SQL database data can be integrated and synchronized codeless with 150+ external systems, on premises or in the cloud, using the Layer2 Cloud Connector. You will find some supported systems and applications here, including Microsoft Office 365, SharePoint, Dynamics, SQL, and others.​​​​​

Firebird is a relational database offering many ANSI SQL standard features that runs on Linux, Windows, and a variety of Unix platforms. Firebird offers excellent concurrency, high performance, and powerful language support for stored procedures and triggers. It has been used in production systems, under a variety of names, e.g. InterBase, since 1981. This information is about how to connect to Firebird from other systems, on-premises and cloud-based, to synchronize pre-selected data.

Fig.: Firebird data can be connect to 150+ other systems and applications via the Layer2 Cloud Connector.

Benefits of Firebird Database Integration and Synchronization

Firebird SQL data integration via Layer2 Cloud Connector has the following features and benefits:

• Connect and sync your local Firebird data with 150+ other data sources, e.g. native SharePoint lists and libraries in Office 365 or on-premises, keeping them always up-to-date.
• High speed of implementation: No programming or tools required. Predefined sample connection templates included. Setup in a few minutes guided by wizards. Remote setup support (30 minutes are free).
• Low risk in project: No installation or customizing on the Firebird side and also on the data destination required. Just install the connector on a computer in your network, in the cloud, or even your laptop.
• Highest Security: Connection via secure web services (SSL). Disconnected systems: A connection is only required for data synchronization – not for end users in the connected systems. You don't have to open your network for the Internet. The application runs where your data resides today - on a server or client inside your corporate network.
• Highest performance: Can manage very large databases. You can scale-out to multiple servers or to the Microsoft Azure Cloud, if required. No bulk-import - data changes are processed as required.
• Fully compatible with 3rd-party data providers: Data providers of application vendors (e.g. Oracle, SQL Server, MySQL, IBM etc.), 3rd-party data providers, or included Layer2 data providers can be used to sync with 100+ data sources.

• Virtually any data sources supported: ODBC, OLEDB, OData, SOAP, Microsoft .NET based providers, Files (Excel, XML, CSV, Text), RSS / XML feeds, SQL databases like MS SQL, SQL Azure, Oracle, MySQL, IBM DB2, IBM AS/400, IBM Informix; Notes, SharePoint, Office 365 (lists and libraries), local file system, cloud-based file stores, Exchange, Active Directory, Dynamics NAV/CRM, Navision, SAP, and many more. More complex data sources, REST-based web services, custom COM, or .NET objects can be connected using 3rd-party add-ons. Cloud-to-cloud connections, e.g. to salesforce.com, Twitter, Facebook, Google, Amazon, BOX.NET and others are also supported.
• Layer2 CSOM Data Provider included: You can connect and sync your Firebird data with SharePoint lists and libraries on-premise or in the Office 365 / OneDrive for Business cloud.
• Layer2 OData Data Provider included: You can connect your Firebird data to all OData sources, e.g. Microsoft CRM/ERP or SAP via NetWeaver.
• Layer2 XML Data Provider included: You can connect your Firebird data to any XML-based files and web requests, and filter results by using XPath query language.
• Layer2 RSS Data Provider included: Please note that this provider is also included as sample source code to build your own provider.
• Layer2 Exchange Data Provider included: You can sync Firebird data like contacts, tasks, calendar events, notes, and email to Exchange using Exchange Web Services (EWS). Exchange 2007, 2010, and 2013 are supported as well as Exchange Online. Shared & Site Mailboxes supported.

• Very flexible sync options: Uni- and bi-directional sync are supported. Execute a specific connection scheduled in background (Windows Service) or on demand (e.g. by command line). Sync all data or pre-selected subsets only. Select source and target folders, make use of additional no-delete, no-insert, no-update options.
• Data type conversion included: Sync Firebird data with complex data types like SharePoint links, lookups, managed metadata, and more with advanced options.
• Process integration via SharePoint: Raise change notifications and start workflows in the cloud, triggered on external Firebird data changes. Find your Firebird data changes in Delve via Office Graph. All features of native SharePoint lists and libraries are supported, e.g. views, sorting, filtering, grouping, search, mobile and offline access, social features like tagging and enterprise metadata, RSS feeds, change notifications per email, or workflows in the cloud on external data change. You can also add your own business logic.
• Additional unmapped columns can be created: Ranking, rating, managed metadata, comments or file attachments.
• Data aggregation: Multiple connections can combine several different Firebird data queries into one target list or table.
• Flexible logging and alerts: You can log to files, databases, and Windows Event Log via NLOG.
• Free Shareware Edition: You can test the free Shareware Edition as long as you want or you can even use it in production with limited features. You can upgrade a Shareware Edition to a licensed version at any time without new installation.
• Flexible, cost-effective licensing: Personal Edition, List and Table Edition and Enterprise Edition available, depending on requirements. Licensing per installation (no user CALs, not bound to any specific connected system, one-time fee or annual subscription - no data volume-related costs). Easy to setup and maintain.

Firebird Specific Configuration Settings

In the Cloud Connector data source or destination entity must be configured as follows to connect to Firebird.

Fig.: Firebird sample connection in the Layer2 Layer2 Cloud Connector

Please note the following about settings, features and possible issues.

• Please select the Firebird Client Data Provider from the list of installed providers. If you can't find, please install from here.
• You can make use of any connection strings for Firebird as usual, e.g.:
  
  User=MyUser;Password=pass;Database=C:\Databases\database.fdb;DataSource=localhost;
  
  
• You can make use of all SQL queries your data provider supports. You can also use stored procedures that returns records, exec myStoredProcedure().
  
  SELECT * FROM Customers
  
  
• You can make use of aliases in query to force auto-mapping in the Cloud Connector, e.g. select customername as title, to auto-map to a SharePoint title column. But you can also map manually.
• Bi-directional sync is generally supported. You query must be updatable for this (note that most joins are not). You also need write access rights for this.

Do you have any issues to connect? Please contact [email protected] for next steps.

Firebird Data Integration - Known Issues and Workarounds

• The provider does not populate information about auto-increment columns. 
• The Cloud Connector will generate negative numbers to ensure uniqueness. 
• To make auto-increment columns work as expected, the database-trigger for the auto-increment column needs to be adjusted:
  The condition (NEW.ID IS NULL) needs to be changed to (NEW.ID IS NULL) OR ((NEW.ID < 0)) to account for the case of generated negative values.

Step-by-Step Intros For Specific Firebird Integration Scenarios

​You will find more information about specific scenarios here:

• How to connect and sync SQL Server with Microsoft SharePoint or Office 365. The example is for SQL Server, but very similar to Firebird.
• Connect and sync Firebird data queries with Microsoft Dynamics CRM or ERP via OData.
• Push Firebird data to Microsoft Exchange or Office 365 for mobile and offline access on any device (BYOD).
• Connect Text/CSV or XML data files with Firebird tables and keep data current.
• Make use of scalable cloud-based apps like Office 365 for data acquisition and sync results with local Firebird database for any further processing.
• Migrate to cloud-based databases like SQL Azure, Hana, MongoDB or Azure Storage.

Please also note this product video at YouTube. Can't find the scenario you are looking for? Please contact [email protected] for help.

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